A few short days before Pedro Almodovar starts shooting his new film, our favorite Spaniard shared some of the music that inspires him. Check out the tracklist – but why stop there? Press play and listen to the whole shebang!

Shooting for “Los Amantes Pasajeros” – Almodovar’s first comedy in some time – is scheduled to commence on June 4th in Madrid, with a cast featuring some of his favorite collaborators over the years.

Javier Cámara, Cecilia Roth, Lola Dueñas and Blanca Suárez are some of the passengers on board Almodovar’s next film, which takes place on a plane flying over the Gulf of Mexico. When a mechanical damage brings them face to face with imminent death, everyone’s bizarre secrets come flying out. What else are you gonna do to take your mind off the fact that you’re about to meet your maker?

Just like every other Almodovar film, music is bound to be more than just a sonic backdrop. In fact, judging by this mix, it it’ll be an active ingredient in the Almodovarian universe!

Which is why Pedro recently posted his favorite 2012 albums on El Deseo’s facebook page, stuff he’s listened to over and over again while working on “Los Amantes Pasajeros”, accompanied by an explanatory note:

“This is a list of the 15 albums that accompaned me thoughout the rehearsals and the endless screenplay rewrites. It’s what I listen to when I flip through magazines, picking out clothes for my characters, reupholstering furniture and going through countless interior design publications in pursuit of inpiration. It’s what keeps me from going over the edge when I have to correct a scene for the thousandth time, extend dialogues for Javier Cámara, Raúl Arévalo and Carlos Areces only to edit all over again, otherwise the film is going to go on forever! And we don’t want that to happen, do we?

You could say it’s my top 15 of 2012, although the Metronomy and Django Django albums – real gems! – were released last year and the Mickey Newbury album is a re-release. I suppose all of them will leave a trace on “Los Amantes Pasajeros”, alternating with Esquivel’s vibrant lounge, Quincy Jones’ “Big Band Bossa Nova”, the constant caress of Brazilian-born Luiz Bonfá and a mixture of psychedelic cumbia I found on “Cumbia Beat” and “The Roots of Chicha”. It’s basically music that makes your life easier in times of absolute frustration!”

This is Pedro’s top 15 albums of 2012 and a mixtape we’ve put together especially for Flix readers, featuring one track from each album, just to get you in the mood for Almodovar’s imminent liftoff. Enjoy!

About
Composer, singer and percussionist , Carlton Rara was born in France in 1975 to a Haitian mother and a French father. Carlton first started as a solo performer, singing and playing percussions, he progressively brought out all his influences, ranging from blues, reggae, voodoo, soul and world music to eventually create a new style of his own. Al Jarreau, Michael Jackson, Bill Withers, ... more